It is yet another great season of college basketball ahead of us, and there are many different contenders from a wide array of conferences. Can the Kansas Jayhawks vie for the national championship again? In 2022, Hall of Famer Bill Self won his second championship after defeating the very impressive UNC Tar Heels in Hubert Davis’ first season as head coach. Kansas won its fourth championship for the school as well as its third one since 1988. We will see what is in store for the 2022-23 season.
American Athletic Conference
|
Team |  BetRivers |
|---|---|
| Florida Atlantic | +125 Bet |
| USF | +400 Bet |
| North Texas | +500 Bet |
| Charlotte | +800 Bet |
| UAB | +900 Bet |
| Wichita State | +2000 Bet |
| East Carolina | +3300 Bet |
| Temple | +3300 Bet |
Memphis Tigers (+140)
Penny Hardaway had a very successful NBA career, and he played fantastically at Memphis as well. This time around, he wants to bring back his glory days of winning multiple tournament games. First, let us take a look at the Memphis Tigers’ ability to win the AAC, also known as “The American.” Memphis has been a team in the AAC since the conference was created in 2013. Hardaway led Memphis to its first conference tournament win in the AAC in 2023 and he looks to do it again. Hardaway’s large rotation this year allows for the team to have a lot of depth after losing leading scorer Kendric Davis to the NBA.
Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC)
|
Team |  BetMGM |
BetRivers |
|---|---|---|
| North Carolina | -165 Bet | -200 Bet |
| Virginia | +425 Bet | +500 Bet |
| Pittsburgh | +550 Bet | +600 Bet |
| NC State | +650 Bet |
Duke Blue Devils (+135)
Moving from the AAC to the ACC, we see the rich keep getting richer. Top recruit Cooper Flagg has committed to Duke, and the Blue Devils are the overwhelming favorite to win the ACC again this season. Jon Scheyer did not lead Duke to the conference’s best record during the regular season, but he did get the team three consecutive victories en route to the conference tournament championship over Virginia. Duke did have a second-round exit in the NCAA Tournament, but sophomores Kyle Filipowski and Tyrese Proctor are back and ready to dominate.
Big Ten Conference
|
Team | BetRivers |
|---|---|
| Purdue | -125 Bet |
| Illinois | +325 Bet |
| Michigan State | +1000 Bet |
| Nebraska | +1000 Bet |
| Wisconsin | +1200 Bet |
| Ohio State | +1600 Bet |
| Northwestern | +2000 Bet |
| Indiana | +4000 Bet |
Purdue Boilermakers (+175)
Can Purdue get revenge this season? The Boilermakers are definitely the favorite again in the Big Ten, but their biggest problem has been two first-round NCAA Tournament losses in the last three years. Under Matt Painter, early losses in the NCAA Tournament have become more of the norm. On the bright side, the team has had six or fewer losses in the conference each of the last three years. Purdue looks for back-to-back conference championships, with senior Zach Edey excited to bounce back this season.
Big 12 Conference
|
Team | BetMGM |
BetRivers |
|---|---|---|
| Houston | -150 Bet | -159 Bet |
| Iowa State | +350 Bet | +300 Bet |
| Baylor | +360 Bet | +550 Bet |
| Texas Tech | +1100 Bet | +1200 Bet |
Houston Cougars (+375)
Kelvin Sampson is now in a different conference, but it is a familiar conference to him. He made quite a few NCAA Tournaments with the Oklahoma Sooners from 1994-95 to 2005-06 and won three Big 12 Tournaments in a row from 2001 to 2003. In September 2021, the Big 12 officially invited the University of Houston, and this will be the Cougars’ first season of play in the conference. Sampson lost some of his highest scores, so a new rotation will be in place, but Houston can surprise in the Big 12 this season.
Pac-12 Conference
|
Team | BetMGM |
BetRivers |
|---|---|---|
| Arizona | -200 Bet | -200 Bet |
| Colorado | +350 Bet | +350 Bet |
| Washington State | +550 Bet | +600 Bet |
| Oregon | +1200 Bet | +1200 Bet |
Arizona Wildcats (+180)
The Arizona Wildcats have Tommy Lloyd entering his third season, and he hopes to bounce back. The first-round loss in the NCAA Tournament was a heartbreaker for the team, alumni, and its fans. Arizona was one of the nation’s best teams and hopes to be that again, but a loss to Princeton was not what was in the cards. The team must find a way to replace Azuolas Tubelis’ high-scoring output from last year. Maybe center Oumar Ballo and guard Courtney Ramey will be able to step up this season.
Southeastern Conference (SEC)
|
Team | BetMGM |
BetRivers |
|---|---|---|
| Tennessee | +180 Bet | +175 Bet |
| Auburn | +250 Bet | +275 Bet |
| Kentucky | +400 Bet | +375 Bet |
| Alabama | +525 Bet | +500 Bet |
| Florida | +1300 Bet | +1400 Bet |
| South Carolina | +2500 Bet | +3300 Bet |
| Texas A&M | +3000 Bet | +2800 Bet |
| Mississippi State | +3500 Bet | +4000 Bet |
Kentucky Wildcats (+600)
The Kentucky Wildcats are always impressive in some way, so what will be their strength this time around? It looks like John Calipari will be led by true freshmen Justin Edwards and DJ Wagner. He is an exciting freshman guard with tremendous scoring, and he stands at 6-8 and 203 lbs. If this Kentucky team can run in transition and stay consistent on defense, Edwards and company will be able to succeed and surprise the SEC. Calipari has had a bit of a drought recently in terms of lifting banners, so this hopes to be the year for UK fans.
Big East Conference
|
Team | BetMGM |
BetRivers |
|---|---|---|
| UConn | -275 Bet | -305 Bet |
| Marquette | +375 Bet | +450 Bet |
| St. John's | +800 Bet | +800 Bet |
| Providence | +2000 Bet | +2000 Bet |
Creighton Bluejays (+230)
Creighton has come on strong over the last few years, and fortunately for the Bluejays, senior Ryan Kalkbrenner is back for another year. The center will lead the team into what hopes to be another amazing season. In addition, guards Trey Alexander and Baylor Scheierman should make an impact this season. Head coach Greg McDermott has this team playing tremendous basketball, as the Bluejays have achieved 20 wins each year since 2015-16. Creighton will be sure to top that total and hopefully they can make a splash yet again in the NCAA Tournament.
West Coast Conference (WCC)
|
Team | BetRivers |
|---|---|
| Gonzaga | -134 Bet |
| Saint Mary's (CA) | +105 Bet |
| San Francisco | +1000 Bet |
| Santa Clara | +2000 Bet |
St. Mary’s Gaels (+140)
Everyone will say that the WCC is Gonzaga’s conference to lose, and every single one of those people will be correct. However, the Gaels are close behind in terms of the odds. There is a reason for that. Gonzaga’s star from last season — Drew Timme — is now in the NBA, and St. Mary’s is going to dominate with its guard play. Sophomore Aidan Mahaney, who was first-team All-WCC last year, looks to be an impressive leader for a Gaels team that is on a mission. Randy Bennett’s squad will look for even more after an impressive 27-8 (14-2) 2022-23 season.
College Basketball Futures Bets
A futures bet is a long-term bet on a result to be determined at a later date.
Popular college basketball futures bets include the winner of the NCAA Tournament Final Four (National Champion), winners of conference tournaments, conference regular-season titles, and individual awards like Most Outstanding Player of the NCAA Tournament.
You can typically place futures bets at any point from the offseason up until the winner of a bet is decided.
How to Place a College Basketball Futures Bet
It’s easy to place a college basketball futures bet.
- Review college basketball futures odds for the NCAA champion, Final Four, or Conference Winners.
- Each outcome will have moneyline odds at American Sportsbooks.
- Make one or more selections and bet your desired amount.
- Your bet wins if you pick the correct outcome.
Tips
Compare odds between sportsbooks whenever possible. Some may offer a better payout on your team. Finally, time your bet carefully. You want to bet when you have the most information possible but not too late that you’ve missed a good payout.
For example, betting conference futures before the season begins can be risky. You won’t have any idea how good the team is yet. You also won’t know if any key players are injured. Instead, wait about 3-4 weeks before making your selection. You’ll have the benefit of seeing a team in action before deciding whether or not to make a bet.
College Basketball Betting Resources
- College Basketball Betting Guide – Learn how to bet on college basketball with point spreads, totals, and moneylines, plus exotic bets like parlays and prop bets.
- College Basketball Betting Sites – We’ve analyzed and reviewed the best legal sportsbooks for college basketball betting.
- College Basketball Odds – Point spread, total, and moneyline odds for upcoming College Basketball games, including March Madness and the Final Four.
- College Basketball Prop Bets – See prop betting lines and odds for upcoming College basketball games, including March Madness and the Final Four.
- College Basketball Futures Odds – Learn more about how to bet on college basketball futures. Review odds to win the National Championship and key D1 college basketball conferences, plus odds to win the John R. Wooden Award.
- Final Four Betting Odds – The latest Final Four futures odds, men’s basketball tournament schedule, matchup odds, and prop bets.
- March Madness Betting Odds – Review odds to win the NCAA men’s college basketball tournament, then learn how to bet on the tournament with the latest matchup lines and odds.
- Basketball Halftime Middling – Learn how to identify halftime middling opportunities that can help you make money betting on college basketball.
- College Basketball Conference Futures Odds – See odds to win college basketball conferences, including the SEC, Pac-12, American, ACC, WCC, Big 10, Big East, and Big 12.
- Undefeated College Basketball Teams – See which teams are still undefeated in the current regular season.
- Early Season College Basketball Betting Tips – The first couple weeks of college basketball present a unique opportunity to get an edge as oddsmakers try to get their lines right. Learn a couple quick ways to improve your NCAA basketball handicapping techniques.